It’s Saturday afternoon, and I just rolled in from a massive group ride, shredding a new trail opening in Cumberland, BC. Now, it’s time for some last-minute packing because I’m off to Arkansas bright and early tomorrow, aiming to leave the house by 4:45 am for the airport. This will be my second trip to Arkansas in a year, set to explore the state for a solid two weeks and cook up some rad content for the tourism board.
Here's a shot from the opening for a new trail in Cumberland..... Look at this mega CREW!
Scout, my cat, always knows when I’m about to jet off, and he’s not exactly stoked!
Ha ha
There aren’t many spots in the world that embrace mountain biking like Arkansas does. Bentonville, where we touch down, is the beating heart of this biking paradise. The community has seriously dialed-in mountain bike infrastructure! Picture this: neighborhoods linked by bike paths, sweet single track weaving through, and features like pump tracks and jumps dotting the landscape!
It’s pretty epic.
Last time I hit Arkansas, it was a whirlwind five-day adventure, chasing golden hour magic, making every spot look like a dream.
This time around, we decided to slow things down a notch. Doubling our stay, we roamed the entire state, diving deep into the hidden gems beyond the usual tourist hot spots. We dug into lesser-known areas, mingled with awesome folks, and stumbled upon some mind-blowing trails (and trail builders!) that most folks have yet to discover.
The crown jewel for me was the Red Lick trails nestled in Clarksville, a "blink-and-you’ll-miss-it" town in the Ozarks. Here, freeride mountain biking is alive and thriving! The riders here have the green light, and the funds to craft some seriously flowy, and gnarly lines. Sure, the elevation might not be towering.... but the terrain is an absolute playground, brimming with wild, natural features.
Jonathan Sebring, aka @GangstaGnar, is the wizard behind these trails, where they’ve whipped up a bit of everything. Think high-speed freeride lines, dreamy berms, and a genius use of the natural rock formations.
Here's Jonathan leading us through his master wood work!
As Jonathan wisely puts it: “Let the builders build!” No red tape, no rules, just a crew who knows how to have fun with bikes and tools, creating magic.
Huge thanks to Jonathan and the Rouge Trails crew for sharing their slice of paradise and their story with us. They’re living proof that with passion and grit, anything is possible.
Who would’ve thought such high-level freeride trails lurked in such an unexpected spot?
Mind-blowing stuff, and I’m definitely plotting my return.
Digging into the backstory of these trails and ripping them with Jonathan was nothing short of mesmerizing. We also snagged some insane FPV drone shots, courtesy of Benton Drones. I documented the entire day, and you can catch the video here, where Jonathan walks me through the lines, and we hit them together:
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